Green commercial interiors will LEED you to the future.

Just when you thought you knew all there was to know about LEED certification, along comes a further evolution of the "green" design guidelines--LEED for Commercial Interiors ("LEED-CI").

FXFOWLE, already routinely cited for actively seeking ways to incorporate energy conservation measures into its design process, is hailing the recent announcement by the U.S Green Building Council, which dictates that sustainable interior design will now be a standard for the commercial office tenant improvement market.

The LEED-CI rating system, part of a comprehensive suite of LEED assessment tools currently under development by the USGBC, was recently released to evaluate the sustainability of tenant fit-out projects in office, retail and institutional buildings.

Going forward, the LEED rating system will no longer be limited to buildings and will be extended to include interiors, which is exciting news for the interior architecture and construction industry and for companies that lease their office spaces.

With energy costs on the rise and consequently under more scrutiny, it's important to understand that, in the United States alone, buildings use one-third of our total energy, two-thirds of our electricity and one-eighth of our water. In order to promote sustainable design and construction practices beyond the interests of the developer or owner, LEED-CI gives recognition to the sustainable efforts of tenants and designers, who do not always have control over whole building operations but maintain an interest in the benefits, both for the environment and for their workplace.

The LEED-CI rating system applies to tenant improvements of new or existing office space. It addresses performance areas, including the selection of sustainable tenant space in addition to water usage reduction and lighting controls.

The guidelines also provide direction to limit the use of non-renewable materials and resources for interior building systems and furnishings, as well as to maximize indoor environmental quality with comprehensive emissions criteria for finishes, adhesives, floor and wall coverings and furniture.

Each rating system point is based upon one of six categories: sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and re sources, indoor environmental quality and innovation and design process.

So why go LEED-CI for your interior projects? The reasons are as compelling for all LEED certified projects. For property owners, designing, building and operating sustainably helps reduce operating and maintenance costs and ensures predictable building performance while concurrently improving property values. Achieving a LEED rating demonstrates a commitment to environmental responsibility; it is a recognized designation, supported by metrics. There are government incentives such as tax credits surrounding LEED certification. For tenants, designing to the LEED criteria enhances occupant health and productivity while increasing real estate value. Most likely, LEED-CI will become the recognized standard for certifying high-performance green interiors that are healthy, productive places to work, are less costly to operate and reduce environmental damage.

Green design not only makes a positive impact on public health and the environment; it also improves building, business and organizational marketability while helping to create a sustainable community. LEED provides rating systems that are voluntary, consensus-based and based on accepted energy and environmental principles. Most importantly, they strike a balance between established practices and emerging concepts.

As designers, we envision our projects as environmental "good neighbors" and maintain a commitment to the principles of sustainable architecture. At FXFOWLE, we have always been at the forefront of green design and en courage our clients to register projects for LEED certification or design to LEED and sustainable standards.

With the variety of products and materials available in a spectrum of price points, every client has the opportunity to achieve the right mix of environmentally friendly products and techniques to meet their goals in the design of their office space.

GERARD F.X. GEIER

PRINCIPAL

FXFOWLE ARCHITECTS, PC